Chapter's song: Demons by Imagine Dragons

ChaPtEr THIRTY-TWO _________________________

Confrontation...

"Be honest with me. Aren't you tired of staying home all the time?" Danielle's tone was soft. Only meant for me to hear. Her bright eyes were set on me as she crossed her arms and leaned on the sofa as she watched me expectantly.

I knew where she was coming from.

I'd been dating  her brother for almost three weeks now and we'd been completely secluded from the world. We didn't go outside. And the one time we had to run to the little store on the corner of Jason's street, he'd avoided me like the plague. Like he would barely talk to me. Let alone touching me. I had told myself that it was ok. That it didn't bother me.

It did.

Especially since my birthday was next week and I still hadn't asked Jason if he would come. I was dreading his answer but I was hopeful that since it was my birthday he would come. We were having a small intimate party, after all.

"Danielle, help Marianne out!" her Mom's head peeked from the kitchen. She glared at her daughter. Jason laugh was heard from where we were standing. His mom had invited us for dinner and he was helping out by slicing the roast beef.

Danielle rolled her eyes and grabbed the plates. She started to move around the table completely miffed. I bit my lip suppressing a smile. "So?" she pressed on as I placed the glasses on each place.

Shrugging, I adjusted one of the napkins next to the plate, "it's ok, I guess."

"You guess?" she raised an eyebrow.

I looked at her. "I know that it's something that bothers Jason. So, that's ok."

I didn't even sound convincing to myself.

I omitted the he'll come around eventually, because that was what I hoped for.

Dating a royal couldn't be easy. I got that. I was giving him space for that. But there was this nagging thought hanging around in my head: I was a public figure. He had to get over it at some point, didn't he?Plus, it was silly and probably immature for me to think this...but at times it felt like he was ashamed of me being a royal.

You're just being immature, Marianne. Get over it.

"Yeah, but for how long?" she asked absentmindedly as her brows were furrowed and she set the forks over the napkins. I swallowed hard. I don't know. "I mean," she continued as if she hadn't made a question, "don't take me wrong. It's awesome that he finally left home," a small smile formed on my lips, "I finally got my art room, officially...but I don't know...I mean, if I was dating someone, I'd like to go to the movies or hang out at a small pub. Something normal, you know?"

My stomach churned uneasily. There was nothing normal about dating me, was it?

"I don't know if we could do that. Even if he didn't mind the press..." I looked through the window towards the street. A couple was passing by strolling around with their dog. I didn't even get to do that. We didn't stroll down the street with Snickers. He walked him out by himself.

"I think he's being a dick, if you ask me," she shrugged nonchalantly.

I sighed. Then, out of nothing, in a hush tone of voice, I blurted out, "I have a birthday party next week. It's really small..." I frowned as my stomach clenched one more time, "but I haven't been brave enough to ask him to come."

Danielle's eyes softened. "Why haven't you?"

Breathing out, I finished setting the glasses. "I have this thing...when I'm dreading telling something that might not work out as I hoped, I delay it. And then I end up asking when there's not much time. Which makes it worst most of the times," I rolled my eyes, "but I'm such a coward when it's something I'm dreading."

"You don't think he'd come, then?"

I shook my head. "I'm telling myself that it would be ok. That I'm trying to be understanding and all, but in the end, I do want him to make an effort, to take a chance..." to prove that I'm worth it. "I'm just being stupid," I muttered embarassed as I finished setting the table.

She shoved me playfully on the shoulder. "You're not. I'd want the same thing." She leaned next to me. "You do need to be honest, though."

"I know..." I sighed again.

Talking to Danielle was always nice. She and I had become closer over the last two weeks. We had been dinning in her home every week and both times she took me apart to show me her paintings and talk about anything or everything at all. I really liked her as a sister and I was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

Would we ever become sisters, though?

I knew I was getting ahead of myself...but to be honest, I couldn't tell. Things with Jason were great when we were alone. He was fun and caring and an ass at the same time. It was great. But we had to be alone.

To be honest, I was jealous of my sister and her boyfriend. They were out most nights and even though the paparazzi were a constant companion, they didn't care. They held hands and they went out to wherever, whenever.

"Is it next week?" she asked cautiously. Too cautiously. I nodded warily. "You definitely need to tell him about it tonight. I heard he was making plans..." she trailed vaguely.

Plans? On my birthday?

I thought no matter what happened he'd want to do something together.

"Huh." My heart sank.

Plans? With whom?

"Dinner's ready, girls!" Her Mom's voice was heard before she appeared beaming while handling a large tray with roast beef and veggies.

I wasn't hungry at all.

To be honest, I didn't care if Jason went out with whomever. There was just one person that I was absolutely and utterly jealous of: Grace. His former friend with benefits.

We avoided every subject related to her. But seeing how wary Danielle had mentioned the whole thing...I was pretty confident that it had to do with Grace. Which was unnerving.

Dinner passed on as I tried not to think about it. But no matter that I tried to block it out of my mind her name would pop in uninvited.

I thought about her when Danielle asked me to pass the salt.

Or when Jason's mom asked me if I liked the dinner.

Or when Jason's hand grazed mine.

My mind was in turmoil. My heart was racing. My stomach was in knots.

Finally, dinner finished and Jason and I were on our way to his home. Tom was picking me up there. Last night, a paparazzi had taken a few shots of us while Jason was picking me up. Tom noticed and took away his camera and all but it had been a bit too close. So now we were meeting at his house. Tom was an expert on ditching the press and apparently Jason felt better about it.

UGH.

"Are you ok? You were too quiet..." he trailed nonchalantly while watching the road.

"I'm fine." My tone was clipped.

He glanced at me. Frowning, his eyes turned back to the road. "I mean, not that I enjoy the silence, since you're usually talking non-stop," I rolled my eyes, "...but would you care to share what's on your mind?"

I pursed my lips for a moment. "Did you know my birthday is next weekend?"

His whole body tensed. His hand gripped the steering wheel tighter. Peeved at his reactions I looked away angrily.

He parked the car in front of his house. I didn't wait for him to open the door for me like I usually did, I got out of the car and stomped to his front door. His eyes were wary as he unlocked the door. Snickers welcomed us home. I squatted to pet him for a moment when Jason murmured from behind, "I do." 

So why aren't you spending it with me?

Snickers was by now pretty much used to us. His tail was moving furiously as I sat on the leather couch on Jason's living room. Three weeks later and the whole place looked different. Modern and minimalist furniture decorated the place. Everything was color-coordinated, being chocolate brown and beige the main colors.

After taking a deep breath out, I started out, "every year, there's this huge fancy party for every royal member," Snickers laid beside my feet as I kept on petting him, "and it's filled with people I never see and I usually never talk to." I sighed, "So anyway, for this year, I asked my Grandma Isobel to have a smaller party. Just the family. She agreed to it." Jason was listening closely as he sat on the opposite couch. "There will be press for like the first hour or so and then they'll leave so we can enjoy in private. I've known this for the last three weeks and I've been dreading to tell you..."

He shifted on his seat uncomfortably. "I knew you were having a party." He shrugged. "You royals," my stomach plummeted to the ground at his tone of voice, "always do that. But I thought that you and I could celebrate here. You know, a fancy romantic dinner, preferably-"

"Your royals? What do you mean by that?"

His grey eyes looked at me seriously for a moment, "Like the sort of things you're used to. Benefit balls, polo games, stuff like that."

"That's not all we do." I'd never felt more judged in my life.

It hurt. Especially coming from him.

He passed a hand across his face somewhat exasperated, "You know what I mean."

"No, Jason, I don't," my tone was resentful, "How do you feel about royals?"

His lips were set on a straight line, "it doesn't matter."

My blood felt like ice. "It matters to me. I am a royal, if you have forgotten about it," I gestured with my hand angrily. I felt like he had prejudices against my whole family.

"I don't," he muttered.

"What does that mean?" I stood up and went to get my purse.

His hand gently grasped my arm, "I don't want to fight." I froze at his touch but I didn't turn to look at him. He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't want things to change. I want everything to be like when we were back in Mexico. There were no complications. No press. Not anything. It was just us."

His words cut through me. I closed my eyes for a moment. "But this is me..." I fought the tears away by taking a deep breath, "The real me. The whole package." His thumb brushed my cheek. "Things have to change eventually. You are dating a princess..."

Slowly, he pulled away. Running a hand through his hair once again. He pursed his lips. Looking away, he added "I've always felt like our taxes could help out the country in a more beneficial way than keeping up with a palace or having balls and stuff like that..."

I swallowed hard, "I see..."  My heart sank and I felt disappointed, hurt and shattered at the same time. Taking out my cell phone, I started to text Tom when I blurted out, "We work for the people. I've always been proud of my parents and all the great things they've done. Maybe they're not navy officers, like yours, but they are kind and they always reach out to the people in more need. And that's something I can't say about many people. Royals or not."

"Marianne, I didn't-"his usually confident tone of voice was soft.

"You did." My heart was breaking as I asked him, "What plans do you have on Saturday?"

He sighed, exhausted and drained, "Grace invited me to her master's degree graduation dinner."

"Grace? You are seeing her on my birthday?" I shook my head. Sad and angry couldn't cover it.

"I wasn't planning to go to whatever charade would be playing on the Buckingham Palace. Plus, you never mentioned it," he raised an eyebrow.

I passed a hand across my forehead exasperated, "A charade?" I bit my lip, disappointment washing all over me. "You know, what? Screw it. I'm going home." I grabbed my purse and walked towards the main door.

"Marianne, don't be a brat. I'll bring you home."

That was it.

I was not a brat. He was being a dick. And I was too jealous. But that was not the point.

I snorted. "Don't. We don't want people to see you with me," sarcasm dripped on my voice tone.  "Apparently, you're ashamed of your girlfriend. So ashamed, that you rather spent her birthday with your ex-lover." I opened the door and before I stormed out, with tears brimming on my eyes, I turned to him "go fuck yourself, Jason."

His grey eyes were dark and sending daggers to me.

My brows were furrowed, my hands were clenched in tight fists and my jaw was clenched as I walked out on the street.

I wasn't sad anymore. I was beyond pissed.

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Damn!!! I don't know why but everytime I post a new chapter (I write on word and then copy-paste on wattpad) the whole format vanishes and I have to go through every line placing commas and spaces and such. IT SUCKS.

I'm tired and my eyes are closing as I type this.

Ok. One thing. This story is up for the watty's!!!!! help me out by going bsck sn voting for every chapter. Sorry if I wrote nonsene. Too tired to correct...

I'll be posting a new chapter soon.

Gabs